The present invention relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-like products according to the preamble of claim 1.
In particular, the present invention relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products comprising a filling tube for feeding a tubular casing made from a packing material and provided on the filling tube with filling material, like sausage meat, a displacer unit having at least two pairs of displacer elements for gathering the filled tubular casing and for providing a plait-like portion, which is at least approximately free of filling material, a clipping device for applying two closure means, like clips, to the plait-like portion, a first clip in order to close the tubular casing of the actually filled sausage-shaped product, and a second clip in order to close the front end of the tubular casing of the sausage-shaped product provided on the filling tube, and a cutting device having at least one blade for cutting the packing material between the first and second closure means wherein the cutting device comprises a fluid drive for driving the blade and being coupled to a fluid source.
A clipping machine for producing products having a sausage-like shape, for example sausages, is known from German patent 101 31 807. Said known clipping machine comprises a filling tube on which a tubular casing being formed from a sheet-like packaging material, is stored. A first closing element or closing clip, respectively, is applied to the tubular casing forming the first end of the sausage-shaped product. Filling material is conveyed via the filling tube into the tubular casing. After a predetermined volume of filling material has been filled into the tubular casing, plait-like displacer elements displacing the filling material in a direction at least approximately perpendicular to the product axis and forming a neck or plait-like portion which is at least approximately free of filling material. To said plait-like portion, a first closing clip is applied closing the actually filled sausage-shaped product, and a second closing clip is applied to the plait-like portion closing the end of the remaining tubular casing forming the first end of the subsequent sausage-shaped product to be produced. After the filling and closing process, the plait-like portion is cut between the first and second closing clip to form a separate sausage-like product.
For executing the cutting step, German patent 101 31 807 discloses a cutting device which is provided in the form of an angulate pivot lever. Said pivot lever is pivoted about a pivot axis by a pneumatic cylinder which is connected to one end of the pivot lever by a linkage. The other end of the pivot lever comprises a cutting edge which is pivoted towards the plait-like portion for cutting the plait between the two closing clips.
In case that the pivot lever or the cutting edge are damaged and the pivot lever has to be replaced by another one, a number of parts, like the linkage or the pivot axis have to be disassembled, which is expensive. In particular, the pneumatic connection between the pneumatic cylinder and the pneumatic source must be interrupted leading to several mounting operations. Same is true if the cutting edge is worn and has to be ground. The complete cutting device has to be dissembled.